Cable network Starz has canceled Blunt Talk — the scripted comedy starring Patrick Stewart — after two seasons. Blunt Talk, which was picked up straight to series with a two-season 20-episode order, wrapped its run Dec. 11. The live-action comedy revolved around Walter Blunt (Stewart), a British transplant intent on conquering the world of American cable news.
The series was produced by Media Rights Capital (House of Cards) and was based on an original idea by Bored to Death’s Jonathan Ames, who executive produced alongside Seth MacFarlane and his Fuzzy Door Productions.
“We are grateful to Jonathan and Patrick for the tirades and laughs that Walter Blunt delivered to fans with such aplomb,” Starz programming president Carmi Zlotnik said. “While Walter may not be returning to the airwaves, we are incredibly proud of the work that was done these past two seasons by our wonderful partners and collaborators on Blunt Talk, from Seth MacFarlane and our studio MRC, to our actors, writers and crew. It was a very special show with a heartfelt message. It was an honor serving you, Major.”
Blunt Talk was never much of a ratings performer and didn’t crack through to become an awards season player. The comedy’s second season (and now series) finale drew just 134,000 total viewers and a 0.4 rating among adults 18-49 with three days of delayed viewing.
MacFarlane, meanwhile, is poised to make his live-action TV acting debut in the fall with Fox’s straight-to-series hour-long drama Orville, co-starring Friday Night Lights alum Adrianne Palicki. The prolific producer and actor (and jazz musician) remains an EP on animated hits Family Guy at Fox as well as American Dad at TBS.
Starz, meanwhile, has a roster of comedies that now includes Ash vs. Evil Dead and Survivor’s Remorse. For its part, MRC will remain in business with Starz, which has the independent studio’s Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu drama The One Percent as well as two-season sci-fi thriller Counterpart starring J.K. Simmons. Outside of Starz, MRC has Netflix drama Ozark starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney in the works.
